The Next Dark Lord
by Gwynevere
Summary: I've been controlling your dear professor for years...  My version of the final battle. Warning: very noncanon


It was a dark and stormy night, with a pitch black sky and a wind that blew eerily through lifeless trees. It was place of evil, of death, where nature and even the very air seemed to take notice and shrink away. It was to this setting that a brave boy, the young Harry Potter, appeared, ready to fulfill what had been foretold.

He gazed out at the lifeless landscape, wondering where to start. He didn't ponder long before the answer was revealed to him in the form of Peter Pettigrew.

"We've been waiting for you," the rat-like man said, before walking off into the distance, Harry following closely.

He was led to an old building, hardly more than a derelict and held up with nothing more than magic. Pettigrew stopped at a door and stood aside, motioning to Harry that he was to open it. Taking a deep breath, Harry firmly grasped the handle and pulled open the heavy, worn door. Inside, there was…

…nothing. He looked around, letting out a relieved sigh. Then something moved in the shadows. He put his wand up at the ready, watching the shape emerge from the darkness. It came closer and closer, into the light. It was…

…Fawkes, Dumbledore's faithful phoenix. Harry almost grinned, indeed the corners of his mouth lifted a bit, to see the bird there with him. The bird perched on the back of a nearby chair, and Harry reached out a hand to touch him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, boy," a voice said from directly in front of him. Harry looked down at the chair, only to be looking right into the face of Lord Voldemort himself.

"Ahhh!" He said, recoiling from the red-eyed, serpent-faced man reclining in the chair. He watched aghast as the fiery phoenix rubbed his head lovingly against his enemy's bony hand.

"But…how?" asked Harry dumbly.

"Quite simple, actually," said Voldemort in matter-of-fact way that reminded Harry eerily of Hermione. "You see, for the last—oh, I don't know how many years—I've been controlling your dear professor through this wonderful bird. Lovely, isn't he? And so _useful_. If only I'd found him earlier. Anyway, I've been controlling the headmaster for years. Why, you ask?" he said, asking Harry's unasked question. "Simple—so that he could groom for me a worthy opponent. As you can imagine, they are ever so difficult to find these days, as I seem not to know my strength and keep killing them off. So, Mr. Potter: are you ready to duel?"

"Why certainly, Tom," said Harry wickedly, raising his wand. The dark lord rose from his chair and did the same. They bowed, and before the older wizard could make a move, Harry yelled out, "Expelliarmus." Riddle's wand flew from his grasp and landed in Harry's outstretched hand.

"What did you do that for?" he asked.

"So I could do THIS!!" yelled Harry, socking Voldie one in the face. The evil wizard staggered backwards surprisedly, unable to keep his balance, and crumpled to the ground. Harry quickly used a spell to turn him into a beetle, which he promptly stomped out. With a blazing flash of light, the bug was dead for good.

He looked around, noticing for the first time the group of Death Eaters that had formed around him and his former opponent. He raised his wand, once more on the defense, and asked, "Are there any more pests I'll be needing to exterminate?"

The room was silent for a few moments in which not a soul moved a muscle, before a masked man raised his hands and applauded. The rest were quick to join in. The group lifted him onto their shoulders with a resounding cheer. "Long live Harry Potter, killer of Voldemort and new heir to the dark throne!"

"Congrats, kid—you did it." He heard Snape say in his ear while patting him on the back, before there was another cheer: "Long live Harry Potter, the next Dark Lord!!"

What had he gotten himself into?

I was reading the "loose ends" page on mugglenet, and this just popped into my head. Sorry if I totally killed everything canon, I just had to get this out before I forgot it (a common problem, believe me!)

Oh, and before I forget:

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in that universe. I only own my own unique version of the final battle.


End file.
